Conservative or Liberal, Deist or Pagan, Jersey transplant or Lehigh Valley native, we're all in this mess together. Let's talk. Let us do no harm. Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne

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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Dent Helps Secure Funding For 45 Lead-Safe Homes in Allentown

Early this year, VOX reported that nearly one out of every four kids in Allentown have unhealthy lead levels. Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski downplayed the study, and had his public health officials release their own "white paper" that essentially claims, "There's nothing to see here. Move along!"

Instead of the Officer Barbrady approach taken by Allentown officials, LV Congressman Charlie Dent has helped secure a $1,380,092 from HUD to build 45 lead safe housing units in Allentown. An addition $2.5 million will go to the state Department of Health to help build 186 lead safe units statewide.

“The health risks linked to lead based paints are profoundly serious, especially to young children," said Congressman Dent in a statement. "I’m pleased that HUD is providing the City of Allentown and the State Health Department with the funds necessary to ameliorate these health dangers in over 200 hundred homes across the state.”

16 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Allentown and Bethlehem both will receive money from the State's grant, allowing for each city to remediate another 19 homes each. Quick correction: they are not building homes, just remediating existing lead hazards. In addition this grant allows for training of contractors on lead safe practices, testing of additional homes to identify lead hazards, and remediation of hazards in the home. This grant is focused mostly on homes where children less than 6 years of age will live! We need to bring more of this money to the Lehigh Valley!

I certainly relied on a news release to prepare this story, but this is an independent account. I thought readers shoukd know that the Feds are making an effort. If it were a republication of a news release I would note that for my readers.

You are absolutely correct in saying that there are lead laden homes throughout the entire area, thanks for helping to promote our cause! Unfortunately, the continued mistrust in the government will hurt you in the end. Take a good thing for a good thing, and stop always throwing a negative point of view assuming that government is trying to hurt the people. You are correct, this is just the beginning, there is a lot more work in front of us, however every home we make safer for a child is a small victory. Stop the mistrust, some of "us" in government are not looking to screw the homeowner but in fact help them.

Furthermore, this grant is scheduled to begin in both cities around the latter part of this year, so if any property owners (rentals included) have children less than 6 years of age in the home, please contact your respective health bureau to learn about the requirements for the grant. Thank you Bernie for remembering Public Health and helping to bring awareness.

How and why is $310,668 per unit required here? Am I the only one that continues to wonder why it costs taxpayers this amount of money to "build" housing units? Is there something special about these $310,688 lead free units?

That is not the amount of money per unit...it is expected that multiple units will be made lead hazard free. Not sure what made you think each unit would cost more than the average home in the Lehigh Valley.

It's not 1 in 4 kids in Allentown. Fewer than 20% of children were tested for this study. Because the testing is mandatory for children on public assistance and voluntary for others we can assume the following:

- Families on assistance are more likely to live in homes where lead exposure is a problem.

- People who suspect they might be exposed to lead are more likely to fill out the form and request testing.

I'm not suggesting it isn't a serious problem, but I'd like to see a real number and have this clarified in articles on the topic.